Concert 3 - Bernstein, Glière and Shostakovich

Maidstone Symphony Orchestra

Bernstein - Candide Overture Glière - Horn Concerto Shostakovich - Symphony no. 10

Leonard Bernstein’s sparkling overture to Candide paves the way for some spectacular horn playing from Ben Goldscheider. Glière’s Horn Concerto may have been written in the early 1950s, but his style is unashamedly lyrical and Romantic, with dance tunes and a lush slow movement. Written after the death of Josef Stalin, Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony takes no prisoners and is undoubtedly his musical comment on the Stalin years in Russia. Biting and immensely exciting, the scherzo is said to depict the dictator himself, while the finale has a real sense of liberation.

Steve Migden will give one of his lively and informative pre-concert talks from 6.40 to 7.10 pm. He has been a professional musician and educator since arriving from the USA in 1965 to study the horn at the Royal Academy of Music.